New book for a gift to 36th wedding anniversary of Premier Hun Sen and wife
Phnom Penh (5 Jan, 2012): A Cambodian journalist on Thursday launched a new book titled “Hun Sen – Politics and power in Khmer history for over 40 years”.
The more than 350-page book in Khmer language was launched on 5 January at 13:00 hour at the day of 36th wedding anniversary of Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen and Her Excellency Bun Rany (5 Jan 1976 at the 13th couple).
The book describes events briefly on politics and power, including other social issues, occurred in the Cambodian history in four regimes between 1970 and early 2012.
Mr Chhay Sophal, a journalist who has almost 20-year experience and the book author, said in a press conference that the likely historical book reviews some events related to the country’s politics and power, including other social issues, lives and loves of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his wife Bun Rainy.
The book, he added, also portrays on some main political figures in the Cambodian society such as former King Norodom Sihanouk and his royal family members, Son San, Lon Nol, top Khmer Rouge leaders, Sam Rainsy, and Kem Sokha,..
The book introduction shows the cross-cutting involvement in the Cambodian conflicts and politics of foreign countries such as the US, Britain, China, Russia and their allies, including members of ASEAN nations.
Mr Sophal said that he had written the book sometimes both inside and outside the country and sometimes on bus, train, and plane during travelling.
“The contents in the book, I based on 83 references form papers, sounds, pictures, videos, and websites. I also included my memory, notes and experiences since I’ve started work in 1990,” he said.
Mr Sophal affirmed that he also included his exclusive interviews on phone with Premier Hun Sen and other public interviews among other journalists. “I spent nearly two years to write this book after over 10-year collecting documents. I did it as I want the readers to know what have happened in Cambodia for the past years,” he said.
Information Minister H.E Khieu Kanharith who read the whole book said the book is a good and admirable achievement of the author who reflects to all aspects with professional writing.
He said that some events describing in the book he had never known before so the book reminded him what happened in the past.
According to H.E Khieu Kanharith, there had been only foreign authors who wrote such historical book in the past but now there has been a Cambodian journalist writing such important document.
Author Chhay Sophal is the Education Officer of Club of Cambodian Journalists and also the Editor-in-Chief of Cambodia News in English and Khmer at www.thisiscn.com.